The Odds

Formed in 1978 by bassist Bill McKeown and vocalist Sam Leyland, The Odds were a British punk-influenced rock band who combined the energy of the UK punk explosion with catchy pop hooks and a healthy dose of 1960s influences. Drummer Colin Brockwell and saxophonist Stuart Matthewman soon joined the original pair, helping shape the band's early sound as they began playing around the UK grassroots circuit. 

Guitarist Keiran Moses joined after the recording of 'Saturday Night', but before the front-cover photograph was taken, which explains why he appears in the picture without being credited on the record. As the group went through several line-up changes, Moses eventually took over vocals and guitar duties, alongside guitarist Jonathan “Twig” Leafe. The band built up a following through regular gigs at venues such as London's Marquee Club, Hull City Hall and Dudley JB's, as well as university dates. Their live appearances also brought them onto bills alongside The Damned, The Skids and The Selecter, placing them within the wider network of British punk and new wave acts touring the country at the time. 

The Odds split up in autumn 1981, after a few years of activity marked by singles, live performances and changes in personnel. Their recorded material later received a wider airing with the 2023 release of 'Foolish Men', issued on vinyl and digitally. The compilation brought together singles, B-sides, demos and live recordings, documenting the band's brief run between the late-1970s punk boom and the changing British independent scene of the early 1980s.